Umbilical cord clamp



7 Feb; 1932.

w. H. TAYLQR UMBILICAL CORD CLAMP Filed April 25, 1928 N UE Patented Feb. 2, 1932 j ,sr-Aresi WALTER-.HERCBERT H1AYLQR,;OF S1 MARYS, ONTARIO; GLANADA.ASSIGNORYTOHIRVIKG,

PATENT SMITH, OF WESTMQUNT, MONTREAIA,.'QUEBE.G, CANADA UMBIIJCAL con-n "CLAMP,

Application filed April 25',

bilical cord designed to be strangulated bythesapproxiination of an edge of'one of thecut-outsto the corresponding edge of the other c ut out as'they travel circumferenfishy-in opposite directions a spring being employed to ca-use said pieces of metal to rotate upon each other and thus to 'efl'ect closure of the conj pint opening which exists when tl-iese-two cut-outs overlie one another. The approximating edges of the cut-outs constitute the jaws of the clamp, and these edges are preferably turned upward at right angles to the general plane so as to give suitable breadth to the clamping surfaces.

The objects of my improvement are to provide an umbilical cord clamp that will be very cheap to manufacture, that can be applied easily and rapidly, that will strangulate the cord progressively, and that will present a flat smooth surface to the body of the infant, and that will ensure perfect safety against the possibility of accidental release.

The invention of an efficient cord clamp, without having regard to the cost of manufacture, should present very little difiiculty; but the object of my improvement is to provide an efficient clamp that can be manufactured and sold at a price that will enable it to be used once and discarded. This re quirement limits construction to those forms that are within the scope of the most economical manufacturing processes, such as metal stamping or wire forming. So that my improvement relates primarily to the invention as an article of manufacture.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which Figure 1 is a plan View of either one of the said pieces of metal as it appears when blanked out, and prior to the forming operation; Fig. 2 a view of one of the pieces of metal after forming; Fig. 3 a view of both pieces assembled and in the open position, but minus the spring; Fig. 4 a view of both pieces assembled in the closed posi- 1828 "Serial No: 272540. 7

tion and" with the spring inserted Fig.1 5- a1 viewsimil art'o th at shown; in; Fig; 4, but with the" jaws: opened in opposition to the spring.

In. thednazwings like; numerals indicate corresponding p arts in Zthe different views.

'llhe corresponding radiate; edges 1,11, of the cut-outsfl, '2, arev turned upward; and downward respectively 'inthe fo'rminggopera tionq The dotted lines in. Fig. 1., indicatewhere the; meta-l is folded; The foldededgesz 1,.1, constitute thejaws 'ofv'the' clamp, and face oneanother, and both stand-perpendicw lar to, the same side Zofn-the conjoint plane in the assembled condition: of the -.'de' vice; for these; metal pieces, whichi were interchangea'blev with-wone another (see Fig.1 1 before.- the forming .operation, are;- made right and left? respectivelyby; forming; The lugs 3, 3, are turned upward and-:downwarm-respectively in like-manner,;so as :to .lie

onthe same-sideof, and perpendicular-tor the conjoint plane "when the deviceis assembled. The lugs-3, 3, are to; giveapurchase to thethumb and? finger during the act ofopening-thevclamp. The two' metal pieces are pivoted together at 4,. by means-of a: pin-10rreferring: to Figs-.- 3-, 44,; and 5,.it'wil'l' be seen: that pressure-appliedto the lugs 8-, 3,, and exerted medially by means of the thumb and finger, causes the jaws 1,i 1, to divergefrom one another to admitthe:oord,. and"thatthis. :l'l'lOll'lOni is resisted by the coil: spring 5, which; lies "in; the *openspace 17 and. whose. tenminal-loopsyengageethe notchesfi, 6:,tmak;- i-ng; pressure in: the-direction of. the arrows (Fig -.3) "It: is .the*continuous'action offt'his coilf'spring; hllRt',G3.l1SeS-tl19'ja,WS- 1371,; to. 'approach =one anothen and! compress the; cord. Moreover, .the coil spring being: centered; in respect; to the planes: of the two pieces of metal, encroaching on oneside of their; conjoint plane as much as on the other, and the. upper. arcs-=of the-terminah coils .of the said spring.- engagingthenotch; 6,- of-i'the $0116 piece oft-metal, and-thenotchfi, of the-other piece, respectively pit. follows thatthe-action of the spring is exerted in the plane of! these two. pieces of metal conjointly, and that any tenden cy these pieces of metal might otherwise.

have to spread apart is counteracted by the spring. The upper edges of the jaws 1, 1, may be serrated, or a series of small perforations may be formed along its edge; this being for the purpose of grasping the cord more securely and obviating the possibility of the clamp slipping over the stump of the cord.

Figure 1 shows a small notch 16 at the central end and attached side of the jaw 1. The peripheral edge of the narrow bridge 9, of the upper piece of metal (see 16, Fig. 3) is designed to run in the notch 16, of the lower piece, thus affording additional security against the two pieces spreading away from one'another. This notch 16, might be extended as far peripherally as the point 17, if it should be found necessary to do so for another reason, viz. to secure a more parallel approximation of the jaws during the act of crushing thecord, for this would render the central half or more of the jaws 1, 1, free, unattached, and consequently, resilient. Now resiliency of the central aspect of these jaws which close radiately, as opposed to the rigidity of the attached portions peripherally, would counteract, to a certain extent, the tendency of the jaws to eXtrude the cord during the act of compressing it.

i A modification of the clamp might be made in which the narrow bridge 9, was done away with; in which case the cut-out 2, would be continuous with the space 7.

Claims.

1. An umbilical cord clamp comprising two pieces of metal, one superimposed upon the other and pivoting upon it; and jaws disposed radiately along corresponding edges of cut-outs formedineach oifsaid pieces of metal; said jaws designed to travel circumferentially in opposite directions and to approach each other, thereby causing the intervening cord to be strangulated; and aspring designed to actuate said clamp 'to close the jaws; also means to give purchase for the purpose of spreading said jaws preparatory to placing the clamp on the cord.

2. An umbilical cord clamp according to claim 1, in which said spring is disposed in an aperture involving each of the said pieces of metal;'this conjoint aperture presenting an edge of one of the pieces of metal to one end of said spring and an edge of the other piece of metal to the other end of the same; whereby expansion of the spring actuates both pieces of metal, thus enlarging the said aperture coincidentally with the closure of the jaws.

An umbilical cord clamp according to claim 1, in which said spring is disposed in an aperture involving each of the said pieces of metal, this conjoint aperture presenting seatings, formed in one of the said pieces of metal, for one end of said spring, and seatings formed in the other piece, for the other end of the spring; whereby said spring actuates each of said pieces of metal circumferentially and in the direct-ion necessary to cause closure of the jaws.

4. As an article of manufacture, an umbilical cord clamp comprising two metal stampings pivoted one upon the other, and a spring; and the jaws of said clamp comprising corresponding radiate edges of cut-outs in each of the said pieces of metal; said radiate edges formed so as to stand more or less at right angles to the plane of the clamp; and an aperture formed in one of said pieces of metal and designed partially to overlie a 7 similar aperture formed in the other piece of metal; this conjoint aperture designed to accommodate the spring, and to bespread bythe expansion of said spring coincidentally with the closure of the jaws.

5. An umbilical cord clamp comprising two metal parts pivoted on one another; and the jaws of said clamp formed by turning up edges of said plates approximately at right angles to the general plane of the clamp; and a spring designed to effect closure of the jaws which approach each other radially; and an edge of one of said plates'riding circumferentially in a notch formed for its reception in the corresponding metal plate.

WVALTER HERBERT TAYLOR. 

